Agencies
The Finance Department on Friday released Rs 140 crore for payment of salaries to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers in the State.
“With the release of second tranche of funds for payment of pending salaries of SSA teachers, the Finance Department has this year released cumulative funds to the tune of Rs 280 crore to the Education Department on this count,” Principal Secretary Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary said.
He said the Finance Department has, on the directions of the Minister for Finance, Dr Haseeb Drabu made advance provisioning to ensure timely release of salaries of the SSA teachers.
Choudhary said although the funds for salary of SSA teachers are to be provided by the Government of India, but the Finance Department has released the requisite funds to the Education Department in anticipation to ensure that the teachers are not put to any hardship on account of their salaries.
He said the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has also issued clear instructions that the salaries of the SSA teachers should be released in time. Meanwhile, Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, has welcomed the release of funds by the Finance Department and has asked the teaching community to give their best to the students while the Government is fully conscious of the problems being faced by them and is taking adequate measures in this regard.